To what degree DR reflects SQ?

[sphinxsix]

 

Discuss  

 

 

[sphinxsix]

51 minutes ago, Summit said:

 

I believe that DR correlate with SQ especially if you compare different versions of the same record. In all other cases the correlation is less consistent, but, t's still better than nothing and can grossly indicate if a record is very compressed or not.   

I wouldn't agree with it in 100%. I have personally in many cases preferred a well done mastering with lower DR, and I know it's not only me (scroll down if you are interested):

 

 

Don't want to engage too much into this discussion but I believe the DR factor had gained its popularity and almost fetish status first of all due to loudness war of course. Secondly it's easy to just measure DR (not many even know about the existance of DR R128 which takes into account slightly different factors than DR) which takes a second and not to engage into time and attention consuming listening comparisons - the higher the better - end of story 

IMO the DR is widely and highly overrated as a tool to judge and even compare the SQ of the same music material and in many cases a better mastering (e.g. smoother, more detailed with more 'air' around the instruments) can sound better than a worse mastering with higher DR. 

Of course the optimum would be a good mastering without or with minimal dynamic compression.

 

4 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

 

Discuss  

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, John Dyson said:

bigger DR is definitely not necessarily better.  I just decoded a bunch of recordings for some friends to check for quality in a PM group -- they have TOO MUCH DR to be listenable.  However, the recordings are VERY GOOD test material.  The average peak-RMS one one of the selections is about 46dB (that is crazy high), when typical good recordings are in the 17dB to 24dB range.   More is NOT necessarily better.

 

John

 

It reminded me of the 24bit pre-master of a certain jazz-rock band (it's actually downsampled 32bit material), which to me has been almost unlistenable due to its huge dynamics.

 

[sphinxsix]

10 hours ago, fas42 said:

 

Care to share the name?

Will PM you.

 

9 hours ago, Foggie said:

Wait, didn't you start the thread? 🤔😉

I apologize - I have other things on my mind now, In essence I have expressed my views in the post above but I'm really curious what other people have to say.

 

[sphinxsix]

22 hours ago, DuckToller said:

If you compare it to Metallica's Death Magnetic (DR3)

Isn't it ironic that gamers got less compressed PS 'Guitar Hero' version of 'Death (by Compression) Magnetic'.? 

 

Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not advocating dynamic compression. The loudness war is IMO one of humanity's most stupid inventions. I'm only trying to point at the limited possibility of judging SQ by DR number (alone), which IMO has gained a fetish-like status in the audiophile circles, which BTW is to some degree understandable when we look at it as a reaction to the loudness war. IMO, just like in real life situations we simply shouldn't overreact.